Flying-machine.



Patented July 21, 1914.

J J m w. H MW M m W6 w 4- I S m RQN w w m a a k I I 1 I l s I 1 I 1 I I I 0 e. H.0URTISS. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1912.

Patented July 21, 1914,

TEN/4% G. H. GURTISS.

FLYING MACHINE. L APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1912.

Patented July 21, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L INVE/YTOR W/TNESSET I q GZezmfiurhm J. W 770/?/VY G. H. GURTISS.

FLYING- MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14, 1912.

1,104,036. Patented July 21, 1914 6 SHBETS-SHEBT 4.

I Gianni/C Z225 G. H. GURTISS.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLIOATIONIILED [SEPT.14, 1912.

1,104,036, Patented July 21, 1914.

5 SHEETBSHEET 5.

WITNESSES IIlIIllII/I/IA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

GLENN H. QURTISS, OF EAMMONDSPOM, NEW YOBK rLYme-macman.

Speolfication of Letters intent.

- Patented J uly'21, 1914.

Original application filed August 22, 1911, Serial No. 645,340. Divided and this application-filed September 14, 1912. Serial N's-420,855.

To all :whom it may concern:

Be t known that I, GLENN H. Ctnrriss, a

citizen of "the United States, residing at.

Hammondsport, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the'following is a clear, full, and exact description.

' connected vtive view from the front, parts having been omittedin order not to complicate the drawlugs; Fig. 2 is a. side elevation; Figs. 3, 4 and 14 are details of the folding wheel con-r struction; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of .the machine; Fig. 6 is a front view showing the arrangement of the mechanism for operating thcailerons; Figs. 7 and 8 are rear and side elevations of a socket; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a portion of the superposed surfaces; Fig. 10 a plan view of one of the panels; Fig. 11 a front elevation of a machine having three superposed surfaces; Fig. 12 is a sectional detail of Fig. 10 taken on the line X-X; and Figs. 13 15 and 16 are enlarged details.

In the drawings I have shown an aeroplane or heavier-than-air machine pro-' vided with floating means 27 to support the same on the water, and other constructions by which this result may be accomplished. The aeroplane proper is substantially the ordinary Curtiss machine which is now well known. It comprises an aeroplane surface suificient to su port the whole machine in the air and which is preferably split up into two superposed areas'or surfaces 1 and 2 y spacing posts 3 and 4.

5 is a front substantially-horizontal rudder pivoted at 6 to the frame and rockable on its pivot by a manually movable device underthe control of the operator, such as a lever 7 located in front of the operators seat andpivoted at 8 to rock back and forth.

9 is a connecting bar pivoted at its ends 7,

machinein travel in contact wit .if the machine is desired to run over the to the elevating plane 5 and-to the lower ond of the said post 7. l0 and 11 are fixed horizontal surfaces at the rear, and 12, 13 are substantiallyhorizontal elevating rudders pivoted to the fixed surfaces at 1 a 3 w 15 is a vertical rudder pivoted to the fixed surface.

16, 17 is the bed for the engine 18. This engine may be the well known eight cylinder 50 horse-power'four cycle'Curtiss engine, the cylinders being arranged in V position with radiator 19,'tail sha-ft 20,'and propeller 21 lfiaving a radius of 31} feet and pitch of 6 set.

'In orderto prevent either side of'the planes from coming in contact with the water during travel through the water, I have-preferably pivot-ally mounted at'each side thereof wing pontoons 32, 33 having trailing blades 39 and 40 respectively acted on by the rush of water at positive angles of incidence in order to give a lift to either side which may be depressed, also more particularly described in my co-pending application.

In order that the operator may, if he desires, vary the inclination of the floats and blades, I have provided a lever ii connected to a wire 43- leading to each float. so that by movement of said le'ver from the position ,shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, the

floats, and with them the blades, may be inclined upward. '.Movement of the lever in the reverse direction allows the floats .and blades to return tothe horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 where they will exert slight head resistance to the rush of air. When the machine is at rest on the water, the floats may be allowed to take the horizontal position and revent either side of the ma-. chine from d1 ping into the water. When the machine is started, the operator may throw his lover to incline the floats and blades, as shown in Fig. "1, and they will then act'as an automatic stabilizing means. When the machine. gets into the air the operator causes them to return to the horizontal position.

. 45 'and 46 are wheels constituting the preferred form of means for supporting the the earth,

earth also. The are hung from the machine and project slig tly below the lower surface of the boat, as indicated in Fig. 2. In order that they may exert less .resistance when the machine is moving through the water, I have provided means under the control of the operator for raising the wheels out of the water when the machine is floating, and for depressing the same at will. In the preferred construction, 47 is a brace pivoted at 48 to the frame of the machine, and 49 is r another brace pivoted at 50 to the frame, and at 51 pivoted to a short arm 52. A locking device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in detail operates to hold the wheels in their depressed position shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 14, the wheel is pivoted to the U- shaped frame 52 having projections 53 pivoted to the U-shaped end-54 of the brace-49; Bent arms 55 fixed to the frame 52 carry pivoted to them at 56 a locking detent 57, which has a' catch-nose 58 engaging a bar 59 on the U-shaped frame 54.

60 is a spring normally holding the latch in the position shownin Fig. 4. The preferred mechanism for raising the. wheels tially V-shaped but joined together to pro- 1 vide a fixed pivot for the vertical rudder and comprises a slidable rack bar 105 (see Figs. 13 and 14) engaged by a spring-pressed detent 106.

62 is a wire connected to the bar and running to the axle of the wheel, being led over suitable pulleys such as 61.

107 is a foot lever pivoted to the boat at 108 and carrying a spring dog 109.

110 is a spring to draw lever 107 backward. As the foot lever is reciprocated it forces the bar 105 downwardly, being held by detent 106 ateach reciprocation, drawing on wire 62'and collapsing the frame 47, 49, 52 to the raised osition shown in Fig. 14. The holding latch 106 may be tripped by a wire 111 and handle 112 adjacent to the operators seat. In order to release lock 57, a wire 113 runs therefore to a pulley 114 loose on wire 62. This latter is slack when the wheels are down and locked, and-as the slack is taken up it draws on wire 113, unlocking latch 57 just before wire 62 becomes taut. Of course the other wheel is provided with the same construction, the wires62 of both Wheels being connected to rack bar 105. Releasing the detent 106 before the machine comes out of the water allows the weight of the parts andthe resistance offered by the. water to throw the wheels back to the locked position shown in Figs, 1. and 4. The ma chine may then travel out of the water onto the land and over the same without the, re-

7 below its pivot, and from the lower end of each post 63 a. wire 65 leads to the lever 7 above its pivot. Consequently when the lever 7 is pulled backward toward the operator, the connecting bar 9 causes the elevating rudder 5 to be presented to the wind. at a positive angle of incidence and both rudders 12 and 13 to be tilted up to a negative angle of incidence. Consequently the action of the air on the rudder 5 tends to elevate the front of the machine, and the action of the air on the rudder 12 and 13 tends to. depress the rear of the machine. Obviously movement of lever 7 in the opposite direction has the contrary efiect. The rudders 12 and 13 are preferably cut away as shown in Fig. 5, and pivoted between them and to the horizontal fixed surface is a vertical rudder 15 which swings between the rudders 12 and 13. The vertical rudder may be operated from a steering wheel 66 mounted on lever 7 and I connected to the vertical rudder by tiller ropes 67, passing up through the hollow lever 7, arm 121 and around said wheel 66 as shown in Fig. 15.

The fixed surfaces 10 and 11 are substanare fixed at their rear and immovably held at their apexes by the connecting struts 68 and 69. This construction prevents the whipping which might occur if the V- shaped space between them were not provided.

The ailerons 22, 23 are preferably located substantially midway between the surfaces 1 a and 2, and therefore are not so much affected by the deflection of the air currents caused by the impingement ofthe air on said surfaces 1 and 2, as said ailerons would be if they were hung directly to the rear edge of said surface. In the present embodiment I have shown them as pivoted to the rear posts, but this location is not essential, although such location is preferable as the wedging effect of the air is less at this posiition than would be the case if they were Lmoved forward and pivoted to the front posts. I, however, do not desire to be limited to either such location of the ailerons.

In order to provide means under the control of the operator for throwing these ailerons .to opposite angles of incidence, I have provided connections therefrom by which the operator may tilt them in either-direction, and preferably simultaneously in opposite directions. This in the embodiment shown comprises a laterally movable device, such as a shoulder frame 70, pivoted to the seat 71 by connecting bars 115, 116, 117 by which the frame maybe moved from side to side,

and carrying pivoted wit a rocking arm 72- with wires or ropes 73, 74 and 75, 76, said wires being attached to the projections or posts 77, 78on the ailerons. It will be obvi- 1,-mme

one that moving the shoulder frame in either lateral direction will tilt :the ailerons in opposite directions. The ailerons, as well as the-rear rudders 12 and 13,-are stiffened by wires running from each end of the posts or projections thereon to the corners of said surfaces.

In order to .allow the control mechanism which operates the ailerons and vertical and horizontal rudders to be shifted to or from a passenger, I have provided a construction by which thismay be done instantaneously whenin flight. In the preferred construction illustrated the passenger is provided with a seat 118 and laterally movable shoulder frame 119 similar to that on seat 71, but normally unconnected to frame 70. Inorderf to connect the frame 119 to the aileron wires; so that they may be operated from frame 119 I have provided a latch 120 which may; lie-snapped over frame 70 as shown in dotted lines. This may be done almost instantaneously and the passenger may thenoperate the ailerons. In order to pass the con-' trol forthe vertical and horizontal rudder to the passenger I prefer to rotatably mountthe steering wheel 66 within a fork on 'arm 121 pivoted to lever 7 at 122 so that the wheel may be passed across from one seat to theother. It may be locked in either position by a. quadrant 123 fixed to lever 7 and a spring latch 124 on arm 121. This construction has been used with perfect success in transferring control of the machine from one operator to another during free flight in the air. Obviously the mode of oprationof the machine is precisely the same from-either'seat.

In order to provide a construction of the surfaces 1 and 2 which will allow the same to be inexpensively constructed and easily set up and taken down, I prefer to build said surfaces of similar panels, with sockets by which a panel may be easily fastened to or detached from an adjacent panel, and the sockets provided with means for attaching the spacing posts to them in order that any number of surfaces may be easily superposed, and in fact any formof machine made without materially weakening the construction. The machine shown is built up of suparatepanels, one of which is shown in Fig. 10, comprising a frame having a front bar 79, arear bar 80,'side bars 81 and 82 and ribs 83, 84. Cloth or any other equivalent air-rcsisting material 85 is stretched over top and bottom of the frame and may be ta'cked to the bars and ribs. 125, 126 are strengthening braces to prevent lateral distortion.

In order to detachably hold the panels, I have provided sockets such as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, made of metal bent into a substantial U-shape, As seen in Fig. 9, the panel 87 is slipped laterally into the socket '88 rand fastened by passing the bolt 89 through the socket and side bar. The panel 90- is slipped into the similar socket 9.1 and similarly fastened. The spacing post 4 is slipped into the sockets 91 and 92, and the merely cutting off the connecting metal as shown by the dotted line y-y in Fig. 8. If it is desired to make a machine of three superposed surf-aces, or to add or omit any, desired panels, it is very easy to do so. For example as shown in Fig. 11, an additional surface 100. has been added above the other two by adding five simllar panels with sockets and posts and trussing wires. With such construction the machine may be easily assembled and knocked down, .and'the 'cost of construction is materially reduced.

I am aware that various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of the claims, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the'preferred embodiments herein shownin the drawings.

What I claim is:

1. A heavier-than-air flying machine, a movable equilibrium-restoring device at each side of the machine, a movable frame extending close to and adapted to be moved by't'he swingin of the oper'ators'body, connections there rom to said equilibrium restoring devices to operate the same by movement of said body frame',a second laterally movable frame for another operator, and means for placing said second frame in or out-of operative relation to said equilibrium-restori'ng devices at any time.

2. A heavier-than-air flying machine, a

movable equilibrium-restoring device at each side of the machine, a laterally mo"- able 'framc extending close to each side of the operators body, connections therefrom to said equilibrium restoring devices to operate the same-by-movement of said frame in either direction, a second laterally movable frame for another operator normally unconnected with said equilibrium restoring devices, and means for'operatively connecting said latter frame to said equilibrium restorin devices during flight.

3. A lieavier-than-air flying machine, a movable equilibrium-restoring device at each side of the machine, a pairof seats, a pivoted shoulder frame partially embrac ing the operators body and mounted adjacent said seat to swing laterally, connections from said shoulder frame to said equiliband having connections to said steering rudder, and means permitting said Wheel (while operatively connected) to be moved from one seat to the other during flight, and locking means for locking saidwheel in either position.

5. In a heavier-than-air flying machine in combination, a pair of seats, a horizontal elevating rudder, a lever and connections to said rudder for operating the same, a vertical steering rudder, a Wheelor lever for operating the same, andhaving a supporting arm pivoted to said first lever to swing at right angles to the movement of said first lever, whereby said wheel Whileoperatively .in combination, superposed aeroplane-surconnected may be moved from one seat to the other during flight and means for locking said wheel supporting arm in either position.

' 6. In a heavier-than-air flying machine in combination, a pair of seats, a horizontal rudder, a lever and connections to said rudder for operating the same, a steering rud der, awheel or lever for operating the same mounted on said lever and having connections to said steering rudder, and means permitting said Wheel to be moved from one seat to the other during flight.

7 In a heavier-than-air flying machine in combination, superposed aeroplane-surfaces comprising a frame made up in detachable sections, U-shaped socket members adapted to receive the edges of two adjacent sections in the open side thereof, and vertical j 1,1oa,ose

posts betweensaid aeroplane-surfaces connected to said socket members for spacing the same apart.

8. In a heavier-than-ai-r flying machine in combination, superposed aerop ane-surfaces comprising a frame made u in sections, U-shaped socket members withthe open side facing horizontally adapted to receive the edges of two adjacent frame sections therein, means for detachably fastening the ends of said frame sections in said socket members, and vertical posts between said surfaces connected to said socket members for spacing the same apart.

9. In a heavier-than-air flyin combination, superposed aerop ane surfaces made up in separate panels, each comprising a frame with front, rear and side bars having cloth stretched therebetween, U- shaped socket members located'at the outer edges of said aeroplane-surfaces and adapted to receive the edges of two adjacentpanels in the open sides-thereof, and vertical posts between said surfaces connected to said socket members for spacing the same apart.

10. In a heavier-than-air flying machine faces comprising a framemade up in sections, U-shaped socket members with the open side facing horizontally and adapted to receive .the edges of two adjacent frame sections therein, surfaces connected to said s'ocket members for spacing the same apart,- said socket members having vertically facing sockets adapted to receive said vertical posts, and wires connecting said sockets for trussing said posts.

Signed at New York city, New York, this 22 day of August, 1912.

GLENN H. CURTISS.

Witnesses: A p

BEATRICE, MIRVIS, E. R. JEWELL.

machine in vertical postsv between said a 

